With their Spring Conference cancelled last year, the Eastern Goulburn Valley Country Women’s Association ladies were excited to be back meeting in person, off Zoom and interacting with each other again at this year’s Autumn Conference and annual general meeting last week.
Despite the past few years being plagued by the spread of COVID-19 and its subsequent lockdowns, CWA member and publicity officer Gwenda Metzke said they didn’t let that ruin their spirit.
“We’re battling along, COVID hasn’t stopped us,” she said.
“We all learnt to Zoom and other various ways of getting around it. But the minute we were able to get together again we were, and everybody's kept in contact with each other and just tried to support each other and get ourselves through it. So we've all come through, smiling and happy, and it's so lovely to be back again.”
The day saw delegates from each branch attend the conference keen to share and discuss ideas to take back to their branch in preparation for the year ahead.
The Eastern Goulburn Valley CWA is made up of the seven CWA branches: Caniambo, Congupna, Dookie, Karramomus, Pine Lodge, Shepparton East and Shepparton Sunset.
The conference also featured competitions and raffle tickets to raise money for charities, with different handmade items for the Royal Melbourne Show showbags or to sell in a showcased raffle.
CWA Victorian state president Pam Mawson was also present on the day to talk to the women about what was happening at the association statewide.
“My favourite thing, when I go to conferences, is listening to the secretary's reports because you hear all the things they've been up to, it’s just wonderful,” Ms Mawson said.
“It’s the friendship and the fact that everybody helps each other as well as helps the community. That's the strongest part of the association, I’ve found all the way around the state.”
The Goulburn Valley CWA has a whole year of activities and fundraising planned, including a craft exhibition on March 25 and 26 at the Shepparton East Football Club clubrooms.
The CWA ladies will also look to pass on their skills to younger generations in their juniors class, which teaches women and girls aged seven and up skills such as cooking, knitting and card making.
CWA members also pride themselves on their advocacy work, as Ms Metzke pointed out.
“We do a lot of things like advocate for different people,” she said.
“We try to work out problems in the community that might not be getting enough attention from the big guys. So we will work through those issues, get it to state level where it's voted on by the state, then we go and lobby politicians.
“We're not just scones, craft and all of that, we also can make communities and governments sit up and take notice.”
To join or for more information about the CWA, go to its website or contact Cathy Shields on 0400 037 026.